Louis van Gaal hopes his legacy at Manchester United will be defined by his development of the club’s young players.
The Dutchman has faced a huge amount of criticism this season as the Red Devils have failed to deliver results, while their playing style on the pitch has also left a lot to be desired at Old Trafford.
However, during an interview with the Independent, Van Gaal has revealed how he hopes to be remembered at the Theatre of the Dreams – while also claiming that he hopes his successor follows his lead in terms of the development of younger players.
“I hope people will look back in the future and talk of the young players as my legacy, but you can never tell,” Van Gaal said.
“The next manager would also have to show the confidence in the younger players. So I cannot judge. If United, after I retire, hire a manager who does not give the benefit of the doubt to youngsters, it shall be very difficult.
“It is up to the young players to take their opportunities, though, and the main factor in that is the player himself. It’s here [he points to his head], but also his attitude, how he deals with negative things, because it is not always sunshine and hallelujah.
“You have to deal with a lot of things when you are a professional football player and that is not so easy. The talent is about technique and tactics and physics, but you also have to cope with a lot of other aspects and it is not easy.”
During his two seasons at the club, the Dutch tactician has given a number of debuts to the club’s academy players.
Tyler Blackett, Paddy McNair, Andreas Pereira, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have all been given a chance to shine for United, while the likes of Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj have also had their chances to play.
Whether Van Gaal’s successor is from within the club – like Ryan Giggs – or a big-name addition like Jose Mourinho, the 64-year-old is hoping that his example is followed.
Sir Alex Ferguson build a dynasty at United in the 1990s based off a surge of talent from the academy.
The Class of ’92 is famous for the names it produced and the trophies they won, and the club are desperate for this success to be repeated.
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